This invention relates to container filler apparatus, particularly apparatus for filling consecutive containers with flowable material, typically liquid, especially edible liquids such as milk, juice, water and the like.
Apparatuses of this type have a large filler bowl containing a quantity of liquid capable of filling many advanced containers such as bottles. Typically the bowl possesses a substantial number of underside depending valves per machine, usually ranging between 1 and 100 valves. These valves must be removed from the bowl fairly often for cleaning, maintenance and inspection, especially if dispensing dairy products and/or if changing from one type and/or flavor of product to another type and/or flavor of product. In fact, the dairy industry may remove the valves one or more times per day for cleaning and inspection, followed by replacement of the valves. To remove, clean and replace these valves on currently available filler apparatuses is a substantial time and labor consuming operation. The valves must be individually disconnected at the inside of the large bowl. Specifically, all current machines in the industry require removal of an internal retainer at the inside bottom of the filler bowl for each valve, to allow removal of the valve from the filling machine. To perform this removal, the bowl must first be emptied of product, and the bowl lid or cover removed or lifted to allow access to the valve internal retainers. The machine operator must then reach down inside the bowl and remove each valve retainer as the operator or another person holds the valve assembly from the outside of the bowl to prevent the valve from falling out of the machine. Since gravity fillers often have anywhere from 6 to 56 valves per machine as noted, this process of valve removal for all the valves is cumbersome and time consuming, but the filling industry has accepted it for years for lack of an alternative.
To reinstall valves in the presently available machines, the valve assemblies must be inserted up through the filler bowl, and then rest the valve on the machine lifter. The operator then has to climb up and reach into the filler bowl, pull the valve assembly further into place and lock it in place with the internal retainer, all from the inside of the bowl. The bowl cover or lid is then placed back on the bowl. When the bowl lid or cover is lifted or removed, the bowl must be resanitized prior to filling with product.